Top local stories of 2012

A shooting rampage at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., the conviction of a longtime Massachusetts fugitive, the 100th birthday of one of Boston’s most cherished landmarks, a powerful storm battering the East Coast, and various ups, downs, and goodbyes for several Massachusetts athletes were among the most closely watched stories of the year. Click through the gallery to review the most important local stories of 2012.
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The rampage, coming less than two weeks before Christmas, was the nation’s second-deadliest school shooting, exceeded only by the Virginia Tech massacre that claimed 33 lives in 2007. The lone gunman was identified as 20-year-old Adam Laza who shot his mother before entering the elementary school. The killer, carrying at least two handguns, committed suicide at the school, bringing the death toll to 28, authorities said.

Joanne Rathe/Globe Staff

Friendly’s closes 37 restaurants

The Wilbraham-based restaurant chain closed more than three dozen stores, including 10 in Massachusetts, after emerging from bankruptcy protection in January. The restaurant closings cost an estimated 780 people their jobs.

The longtime girlfriend of James “Whitey” Bulger pleaded guilty in March to charges of conspiracy to harbor a fugitive, conspiracy to commit identity fraud, and identity fraud. She was sentencted to eight years in federal prison in June. Meanwhile, Bulger’s trial date was rescheduled until June 2013.
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In May, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Las Vegas casino developer Steve Wynn abandoned an effort to build a $1 billion resort casino in Foxborough after receiving pushback from town residents. Since the Foxborough proposal fell through, Wynn has set his sights on a possible casino bid in Everett.

Pictured: Steve Wynn (left) and Robert Kraft talked to reporters about the casino plan at the Patriots complex on Dec. 5, 2011.
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Wendy Maeda, John Tlumacki/Globe staff

Mattapan massacre trial ends in mistrial, acquittals

The trial of Dwayne Moore (left), who was accused of killing four people—including a toddler—in Mattapan in 2010, shocked and enraged victims’ relatives when it ended in a mistrial. The jury also acquitted co-defendant Edward Washington on all charges, including the murders on which Moore is currently facing a retrial.
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Steven Senne/Associated Press

Missing BC student Franco Garcia

Boston College student Franco Garcia disappeared after leaving a bar in late February. For months, friends and family distributed fliers and held placards in an effort to gather information about Garcia’s whereabouts. The search for Garcia ended tragically in April, whenpolice found his body in the Chestnut Hill Reservoir. Authorities concluded that Garcia’s death was the result of an accidental fall.
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In April, Red Sox nation, baseball fans, and sports lovers everywhere celebrated the 100th birthday of America’s Most Beloved Ballpark. The celebration invited generations of Red Sox fans to reflect on their favorite memories of the historic baseball park, and some lucky attendees got to step onto the field during an open house event.
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Pictured: Schilling unveiled his company’s game “Kingdoms of Amcular: Reckoning” in 2010 at the annual Studio Showcase in Redwood City, Calif.
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Tim Jean/Assocated Press

Teen sentenced in fatal texting crash

On June 6 in a landmark decision, a judge handed down the maximum sentence to Aaron Deveau, 18, (pictured) of Haverhill for causing a fatal crash by texting while driving. Deveau will serve concurrent sentences of 2½ years for motor vehicle homicide and 2 years for negligent operation of a motor vehicle with the requirement that he spend at least one year behind bars. He will lose his driver’s license for 15 years. In February 2011, Deveau’s vehicle crossed the center lane of traffic and crashed head-on into a vehicle driven by Daniel Bowley, 55, who died after 18 days at a Boston hospital.
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Shelly Negrotti/Associated Press

Shark chases kayaker

In July, kayaker Walter Szulc Jr. said he “paddled like there was no tomorrow” when he saw what appeared to be a great while shark trailing him off Nauset Beach in Orleans on Cape Cod. It turned out to be a false alarm, however, as state shark experts concluded the shark following Szulc was a plankton-eating basking shark, not a great white.
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Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Mr. Allen goes to Miami

In July, Ray Allen signed with the Miami Heat, ending the Boston Celtics’ era of the Big Three, which included Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett. As he left Boston for Miami, Allen said, “I’ll always be a Celtic, no matter what ... They’ve been great to me. I’ll always consider that place home.”
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WBZ-TV Boston via associated Press

Ashland man sentenced in terror plot

On July 20, Rezwan Ferdaus of Ashland admitted to plotting to fly remote-controlled planes laden with explosives into the Pentagon and US Capitol. He pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to destroy a federal building and to providing material support to terrorists and was sentenced to 17 years in prison on Nov. 1.
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Pictured: Mia Finterman and Gwendolyn Griffin kissed as they joined several dozen people at a Chick-fil-A in Birmingham, Ala., for a national same-sex kiss day to protest the chain’s opposition to same-sex marriage.
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Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

Meningitis outbreak linked to Mass. company

A nationwide outbreak of fungal meningitis was traced back to the Framingham-based New England Compounding Center. State inspectors say the company did not follow proper sterility procedures, which allowed a steroid produced at the company to become contaminated. To date, the outbreak has sickened 541 people and killed 36.
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On Aug. 5, a gunman killed six people at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wis., before killing himself. Shortly after the shooting, Harpreet Singh of Gafton, a central figure at the temple, found himself offering guidance to Sikhs in the Milwaukee area affected by the tragedy.

Pictured: Worshippers at the New England Gurdwara Sahib temple in Milford held a prayer and candlelight vigil for the victims of the Sikh temple shooting in Wisconsin.
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Red Sox-Dodgers trade

A major baseball trade between Boston and Los Angeles was announced in August when the Red Sox exchanged Carl Crawford, Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, and Nick Punto to the LA Dodgers for first baseman James Loney, righthander Rubby De La Rosa, pitching prospect Allen Webster, outfielder Jerry Sands and infielder Ivan De Jesus Jr. The deal alo allowed the Red Sox to unload approximately $270 million in salaries for the four former players.
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In September, a judge ruled that Massachusetts must provide a sex-reassignment surgery for transsexual prisoner Michelle Kosilek after finding the procedure was the only avenue to treat his gender identity disorder. In November, the same judge suspended the surgery while state officials appealed his ruling. Michelle Kosilek, formerly known as Robert Kosilek, is serving life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 1990 murder of his wife.
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On Election Day, voters approved a ballot measure that made Massachusetts the 18th state to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes. Opponents of the measure said the law would promote the use of marijuana for recreational purposes, while supporters argued the drug has benefits for patients suffering from painful medical conditions.

Voters also approved the “Right to Repair” measure, which requires automakers to give independent car mechanics greater access to diagnostic information to needed to make complicated repairs. Meanwhile, a controversial measure to legalize physician-assisted suicide was defeated.
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ISAF/Associated Press

Petraeus affair

Retired Army General David Petraeus, who was credited with turning around American fortunes in Iraq and retooling military strategy in Afghanistan, resigned suddenly in November as director of the CIA after an extramarital affair with his biographer Paula Broadwell was revealed. The two met while Broadwell was a graduate student at Harvard.
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Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff

Mayor Menino’s health problems

In October, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino cut short his vacation in Italy and was hospitalized with a virus. Menino suffered more health setbacks including back pain and a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. On Nov. 29, Menino faced reporters for the first time in nearly five weeks and said he felt “much better” but made no specific comments about his political future.
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Orange County, Fla., Corrections Department via Associated Press

Couple arrested for abuse of 3-year-old N.H. boy

After a nationwide manhunt, a couple accused of physically abusing the woman’s 3-year-old son was arrested at a Florida amusement park. Jessica Linscott and her boyfriend, Roland Dow, were arraigned in New Hampshire on Dec. 3 on multiple counts of child endangerment. Dow also faces charges of first- and second-degree assault.
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